The rising rates of overweight and obesity in the United States and other industrialized countries is especially concerning in children, and the long-term health effects can be quite severe. According to Drs. Youfa Wang and Tim Lobstein of the Center for Human Nutrition at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, obesity is the second-leading preventable cause of death and disease in America.
Definitions
In adults, body mass index, or BMI, is consistently used to define overweight and obesity. A body mass index greater than 24.9 and greater than 29.9 are indicative of overweight and obesity, respectively, in adults. In children, overweight and obesity is also defined using BMI. However, overweight is defined as having a BMI that is in the 85th to 95th percentile when compared to other children the same age. Obesity is defined as having a BMI in the 95th percentile compared to children of the same age, says "Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Pediatrics."
Risk Factors
Risk factors for developing obesity include genetic and environmental factors. There is a strong association between family history and development of obesity. The risk of childhood obesity is greatest when both parents are obese. Environmental risk factors include poor diet, excessive television watching and a sedentary lifestyle, according to the "Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics."
Prevalence and Trends
According to Drs. Wang and Lobstein, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among school-age children is rising in almost all countries. The increasing prevalence is more rapid in urban areas when compared to rural areas. In addition, obesity is more prevalent in industrialized countries as compared to non-industrialized countries. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is highest in North America, Europe, and the Western Pacific at rates as high as 30 percent. The lowest prevalence exists in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
Complications
In overweight and obese children, it's especially important to consider the long-term consequences. Some common complications of obesity during childhood are insulin, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, gallstones, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal disorders, liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea and polycystic ovarian syndrome, according to the "Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics."
References
- "Worldwide trends in childhood overweight and obesity"; Youfa Wang, MD, PhD, MS, Tim Lobstein, PhD; 2006
- "Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Pediatrics, Ch. 10"; Nancy F. Krebs, MD, MS, Laura E. Primak, RD, CNSD, CSP; 2009
- "Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, Ch. 44"; Joseph A. Skelton, MD, Colin D. Rudolph, MD, PhD; 2007
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